The Final Push for the New Boys & Girls Club
For almost half a century, Boys & Girls Club of Aberdeen Area has enabled young people to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. They provide the youth of our area with a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours.
Currently, the Club is serving more than 1,000 children every year with an average daily attendance of over 225 during the school year and 260 during the summer. However their current facility, which was built as a highway building for Brown County in 1940, has become inadequate. Over three years ago, the Boys & Girls Club Board of Directors began a campaign to raise the funds to replace their current, outdated facility with a new modern one that will serve even more children for years to come.
Stacy Bebo, Vice President of the Board of Directors, gave us a look at what the new facility will provide for area children. At approximately 28,000 square feet, the new facility will be 65 percent larger.
The number of members served annually is estimated to increase to over 1,300, with average attendance increasing from 200 to 350 daily.
Increased space for programming, from 10,950 square feet to 18,250 square feet – including new areas for music and art, learning center, computer center, and greater lines of visibility and security in building.
- User-friendly, modern kitchen and lunchroom for serving meals/snacks to all members.
- A new Teen Lounge and Learning Center.
- A larger Game Room.
- A full size gymnasium.
- Rest rooms-ADA compliant.
The Boys & Girls Club of Aberdeen Area strives to provide children with a building centered program where they can go after school to feel safe and at the same time be exposed to positive, caring adult role models who have developed programs to help them succeed in school and in life. So far they have raised $4 million of their $5 million goal. But they still need one final push to secure the funds they need and your contriburions can make all the difference. Various naming and memorial gift opportunities are still available. Gifts may be pledged and given over a period convenient to the donor, with a goal to begin construction in the summer of 2016.
No matter the size of your donation, it can help change a child’s life. You can donate by visiting www.bgcaberdeen.org or by calling 605.225.8714. // – Sean McCracken and Stacey Bebo
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